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Re: Nissan Navara NP300 Any one own one

Andy tell me you are speaking from experience if not your opinion is just hear say.

Since we are going down that path all of the guys i have met towing behind the newer dual cabs don't have any issues with power. I have no doubt the 3litre is powerful though the new engines aren't just smaller they have better gear boxes to work as a better all round package, not to mention the Navara is twin turbo which means no lag, even when towing. The first turbo kicks in immediately and the second around 1500rpm the dealer tells me. As for the coil suspension Nissan is the only manufacturer doing this in this class and an airbag installed is 500 to 600 bucks which is nothing given the thousands of dollars people are filling their 4x's with accessories now a days. The other brands are leaf so if you want to save your $600 go with another brand. Even the guys driving coil sprung wagons are known to have the same issues but it's an easy fix.

I've just spent the last 7 years trialling at least 7 different transducers on my Cruise craft with an estimated cost of around $5k only now have I hit the mark and am happy, so $600 for an air bag; whatever. Need I say more.

Re: Nissan Navara NP300 Any one own one

Originally Posted by Almako

Andy tell me you are speaking from experience if not your opinion is just hear say.

Since we are going down that path all of the guys i have met towing behind the newer dual cabs don't have any issues with power. I have no doubt the 3litre is powerful though the new engines aren't just smaller they have better gear boxes to work as a better all round package, not to mention the Navara is twin turbo which means no lag, even when towing. The first turbo kicks in immediately and the second around 1500rpm the dealer tells me. As for the coil suspension Nissan is the only manufacturer doing this in this class and an airbag installed is 500 to 600 bucks which is nothing given the thousands of dollars people are filling their 4x's with accessories now a days. The other brands are leaf so if you want to save your $600 go with another brand. Even the guys driving coil sprung wagons are known to have the same issues but it's an easy fix.

I've just spent the last 7 years trialling at least 7 different transducers on my Cruise craft with an estimated cost of around $5k only now have I hit the mark and am happy, so $600 for an air bag; whatever. Need I say more.

Spoken from experience. Towing a sailing boat up and down the east coast for racing. Its not that the smaller capacity engines are not capable of towing loads, they can and I have done it. However when you stick 2 tonne of boat with high windage and you want to do the speed limit, they spend a lot of time jumping down gears and revving high on the very smallest of inclines.The V6 3.0 still does it, but needs a much larger incline before it becomes a problem.

Have to admit, My navara is leaf sprung at the back, and so was the previous one. All the vehicles I have towed the boat(s) with have been rear leaf. Maybe the coil spring rear is better? From memory Nissan did do an upgrade to the rear springs of the NP300 because it was a known problem when loaded, so perhaps they have finally sorted out the shit suspension. Time will tell. However, myself and pretty much every one I know that tows a decent load with the modern crop of 4wd utes has needed to replace the suspension at around the 50000km mark. I am not bagging the utes because of this, just saying its yet another one of those compromises that you need to be aware of.

If you jump in a modern landcruiser ute and compare it to navara there is a clear difference. The LC is a great car, plenty of grunt and can tow a house. But the Navara is like jumping into a Commodore sedan, much more comfortable and better car for touring and city driving. Everything is a compromise.

Me personally, I just wish the manufacturers would step it up just a little, something halfway between our current crop of dual cab utes and the yankee ones. The 3.2l ranger is close, maybe just push it out to a 4.0! Just bought the wife a new car today, talking to the salesman and there is a rumour that Nissan might be bringing back a larger engine in the Navara. If I was to take a wild stab in the dark and if there was any substance in the rumour then perhaps it might be a Mercedes v6 diesel engine?.